The Only Woman
by Desert Creature
Summary: Irulan contemplates what her role she played in Chani's death, Maud'Dib's disappearance and as a result makes a vow to herself and to the newborn twins...
1. Guilt

**The Only Woman**   
**By** Desert Creature 

**Rating:** G   
**Spoilers: **Parts 1 and 2 of the Sci-fi Channel's TV miniseries "Frank Herbert's Children of Dune" 

**Summary: **Irulan contemplates what her role she played in Chani's death, Maud'Dib's disappearance and as a result makes a vow to herself and to the newborn twins... 

**Author's Note: **Please read my other fic _No Comfort_ before you read this one, as this is kind of a continuation of that one. 

**Disclaimers:** I don't own _Dune_ or any of its characters as they belong to Frank Herbert. I am only borrowing his rather complex characters/universe by writing this and I ask **NOT TO BE SUED** over this little story. 

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_"Do you think you're the only woman who truly loves him?"_

_"No, but I am the **only** woman he loves."_

Irulan and Chani   
Taken from "Part 1" of **_Frank Herbert's Children of Dune_**   
As presented by the Sci-fi Channel, 2003 

* 

Chani was dead... 

The word had reached the Palace within an hour of her passing, accompanying the joyous news that twins had been born to Maud'Dib. The news of her death had forever dimmed to all who knew how much he had loved the Fremen woman. 

Unexpectantly, Irulan began to feel guilt for the role she had played in Chani's death. For years she had poisoned the other woman with a Bene Gesserit contraceptive that had successfully rendered the Fremen woman barren. As the Reverend Mother had explained it to her, they could not and would not risk a Fremen taint to the bloodlines. 

They had underestimated how much Chani was willing to risk conceiving another child. After twelve years of being made barren by the Bene Gesserit contraceptive, she had sought the advice of a sietch healer. How ironic it was a Fremen healer who suspected what was _really _going on when the best doctors of the Empire couldn't find the reason. The healer had also recommended the ancient Fremen diet to Chani that had ultimately resulted in her death as she had be required to consume large quantities of spice. 

In the hours that had followed Chani's death, Irulan's training clashed with her heart, telling her it was the fault of the Fremen healer for recommending the spice diet. It was also Chani's fault, as she knew the danger of consuming so much of the spice. She knew and she willing took the risk and therefore Irulan did not have the other woman's blood on her hands. 

But her heart said otherwise, telling her if she had not followed the instructions of the Reverend Mother for all these years, then Chani would live still and her children would now not be motherless. Yes, she had always been jealous of the Fremen woman but she had never meant to harm her... 

Whether those were her intentions or not, Chani was dead, and Irulan feared that her husband would soon follow. Stilgar soon came with the news that Maud'Dib had disappeared into the desert after he stopped an attempt on the life of his children by a Face Dancer. 

"Who is watching over the children now, Stilgar?" Irulan asked, sitting still on her bed. 

"The ghola, my lady," he replied. 

She rose from her bed, "Prepare a 'thropter. I am going to the sietch to see to the children's protection." 

"My lady-" 

"Would you risk their lives further by delaying me, Stilgar?" Irulan shot back. 

"The children are safe," Alia's voice shot in from the doorway, "I have seen to it." She came into the room and stopped by Stilgar. "I am now officially the regent of the Empire since my brother is now...gone. He has left the matter of the children's protection to my discretion." 

"You can't possibly leave them at the sietch. It's not safe there," Irulan noted Stilgar's insulted look at this, "How many of the Fremen would die for the chance of slaying the children of Maud'Dib?" 

"How dare you speak such treason and blasphemy!" Alia nearly yelled, her eyes widening in angry. 

"It is true, your highness. Some of my people do not revere the name of Maud'Dib as they once did," Stil said, "Remember the rebel this night we put down." 

Alia's anger passed nearly as quickly as it came, as the Fremen's words rang true. Looking at Irulan she spoke a single word, "Go." 

"Thank you," Irulan said. 

The watched the regent leave, and Irulan turned to Stilgar, "Hurry and prepare a 'thropter. I leave for the sietch within the hour." 

"Yes, my lady." 


	2. The Oath

*   
**2. The Oath**

Irulan pushed away her guilt as she hurried to prepare for departure from the Palace, thinking only of what would be needed to properly care for the children of Maud'Dib once she reached the sietch. It wasn't until she was on the 'thropter bound for the deep desert of Arrakis that her husband's last words came to her: 

**_"It's ironic but your selfish, clumsy attempts to mother an imperial heir actually prolonged Chani's life and for that I am grateful. Forever."_**

As she watched the sands of Arrakis pass below, she finally accepted that she was the one responsible for Chani's death. 

_Not the Reverend Mother. Not the Bene Gesserit. Not the Fremen healer._

She _was _responsible and now she had to face the consequences. She now had to face looking onto the tiny forms of her husband's children left alone in the world without their parents because she had made those "_selfish, clumsy_" attempts to be the mother of Maud'Dib's heirs. 

What a pity her decision to love Paul Maud'Dib Atreides from afar came to late to spare his love and his children the pain of losing Chani... 

_What a shame..._

"We will be landing momentarily, my lady," Stilgar's voice broke through her reverie. Not knowing how the Fremen would receive her, she thought it best that the he accompany her to the sietch. 

"Thank you, Stilgar." 

Not half an hour later she was led into the sietch, the Fremen giving her cold, silent looks as she walked in the passage ways of their home, but none of them made any moves to stop her. Stilgar led her to the chamber where Duncan kept watch over the heirs of the Empire and of House Atreides. 

The ghola looked into her eyes as she lifted the girl-child from the cradle, "My lady." 

Still looking at the newborn she asked, "What names did Maud'Dib give his children?" 

"Paul called the boy Leto." 

_For his father, Duke Leto Atreides_, she thought with a nod. 

"And the girl?" 

"He did not speak any name aloud for her, my lady," Duncan replied. 

At that moment, the girl-child's eyes met those of Irulan, and Irulan felt herself become unnerved, as she saw what could only be described as personal recognition in the child's eyes. 

But how could a newborn recognize her? 

Stilgar appeared, "Everything is prepared for the return to the Palace, my lady." 

Irulan nodded, "We'll be departing shortly. Leave me alone with the children for a moment." 

"My lady?" Duncan said. 

"I said leave me alone with the children," she repeated, "I promise you, ghola, that no harm will come to either of them." 

Duncan nodded, left the room with Stilgar following him reluctantly... 

"Stilgar, wait." 

The Fremen faced her. "Yes, my lady?" 

"Do you know what name Chani would have wished for her daughter?" 

Stil thought for a moment and said, "I think she would have wanted to call her daughter Ghanima, my lady, after her own mother." 

"Ghanima," Irulan repeated, "Thank you, Stilgar." 

After he left, Irulan placed Ghanima back in the cradle beside Leto, and then she knelt beside them, touching both of the babies. 

"By my actions I have robbed you of your parents, and though my words cannot give them back to you, I am sorry, Leto, Ghanima. I am sorry for what I did to your mother," 

she whispered, "I know I will never replace her but I, Irulan Corrino Atreides, swear from this day forward I will guard her children as though they were my very own. No Corrino assassin will harm you so as long as I draw breath." 


End file.
